Phantasy Star Online 2’s Episode 3 Major Update Launches This August

Phantasy Star Online 2 has been out for about two years now, and Sega recently announced that its third major update, called “Episode 3,” will launch this August. 4Gamer attended the announcement event and shares a peek at some of the new features included in the update.

One thing Phantasy Star Online 2 likes doing is changing up the lobby with different themes. We’ve seen them scare players with a special Attack on Titan collaboration, and we’ve also seen Sonic the Hedgehog run wild here, as well.

The above shows a look at some of the revamped look the Arks Lobby will get in the Episode 3 update.

Additionally, the update also gives the interface a little makeover with new features like accessory previews, and an option to display HP/PP above the head of characters.

The character create option will also get a few new additions, with newly adjustable details, and you can now equip up to four accessories.

Episode 3 adds new balances for various classes, which will all be selectable at the start, along with a few other adjustments like dashing and quest features.

Finally, here’s a look at an upcoming collaboration between Phantasy Star Online 2 and The Irregular at Magic High School, with costumes, hairstyles, and weapons based on characters like Tatsuya and Miyuki Shiba:

Dat Mahouka collab, my body is ready for Miyuki (hoping her voice ticket is available too)

At least now in Ep3 they’re letting you see EVERYONE on the map, and not just your party members, made it a pain to moon those solo-ers that died in the corner of the map or something

Magicks

As annoying as it is, that’s why I just put on an auto word set to when I die. So people can generally see what direction I died in at the very least. And some do walk around there, and revive me. (Thank god that the range for using a Moon Atomizer is huge. )

Zak Ledward

Auto-word appears even if it looks like it pops up in party chat? Huh.

Indeed, there were many times when I see people use a Moon and I mini-panic because I think they’re too far away to reach me…but then I stand up and I’m like, “Mini-heart attack avoided”

Brion Valkerion

Sadly Sega “waited” too long. Other games are using their same format with laughably larger budgets. Had a two year window to cash in, now Destiny is literally doing what they did minus the anime and a FPS.

I don’t even think we are gonna get this game anymore the same with Yakuza game series

Guest

who cares about the west, LOL

MrTyrant

I care. I don’t like using asian servers for playing online.

hikarux3

now you understand how we asian feel like when we cant play westen server.

kyubey777

andnow you wil understand too we SEA player can;t play JP server anymore

Majinken

Saying mods need to lock comments anything pso2 related is backwards
Sega needs to know that people are still upset about the way this game is handled

Tyler Beale

SEGA: Hey everyone! We’re having a special event, so come on over and play!
*huge crowd rushes towards SEGA*
SEGA West: If you wanna play that game, you’re gonna have to get past us first. Which is impossible. because you’re all under our control now!!
*crowd beats up and kills SEGA West*
SEGA: If that’s how it’s gonna be, you fucks are not welcome to play any of our games. But we will send you a blue hedgehog! Oh, and everyone’s favorite digital diva, Miku!
*crowd goes “….”, gets mad, and leaves*

Magicks

The sad part is that PSO2 has been DDOSed earlier. Took the game down for a week, and their “preventive measures” prevents most people outside from Japan to access their site or the game itself without a VPN. Soooo…. It’s not false what you said. T_T

하세요

Japan themselves are blocked in the same departments, too. From what I’ve heard, many providers are back up and running. I know Verizon is fine because I can log in normally, but I heard some others like Comcast are blocked.

I was excited for this before it was released but now… Guess I don’t really care if they bring it or not.

Niles Schwarz

The excitement I feel for Episode 3 is pretty real. I can’t wait to try out Bouncer cause those Jet Boots seem awesome. Also the speed increase is something I welcome a lot.

Now off-topic, I find it hilarious that for every PSO2 (or related) article there are mostly just complaints and cries about it not being out in the west right now. I mean I understand, but it’s a waste of time to complain here. If the article was about “PSO2 in the West is dead” or “PSO2 localization still missing” go for it. But these comments are barely related to the topic.

Ferrick

probably because every pso2 article is just rubbing salted lemons upon their open wounds ;D

Magicks

What excites me the most is what they’ve previewed for the class rebalances. For the most part, I’m very excited in trying out the new Techer tree and abilities. I’ve been trying out melee Techer for awhile now, and the gameplay is extremely fun. (More so than my Force/Techer stuff.) With changes to making Territory Burst into an one point wonder passive as well as Wand Reactor into a stance, it’s going to be less hassle of buffing every minute and more of clubbing enemies to death with elemental weapons.

And my off-topic; honestly, there’s no point in waiting. You might as well get a head-start on playing on the JPN servers. Heck, there is the english patch now, and generally the english players are on Ship 2. (I think there’s another ship that has a sizeable English player population, but I forget which.) The only real problem is depending if you’re with certain ISPs, most people are blocked from the site and game due to a previous DDOS attack, and their preventive measures ended up blocking a large amount of people outside of Japan. And you can get around that too with a VPN.

Ferrick

i do hope the class rebalances makes it possible for fi to be viable, but hunters are… well, kinda nerfed too much, but on the bright side, changing stances wouldn’t be as much of a hassle now that it’s quick and infinite duration, and as for clobbering enemies to death with elemental weapons, Te/Bo or Fo/Bo seems viable (Bouncers have elemental weakness stance)

Niles Schwarz

I haven’t messed with the new Skill Trees since I’ve only been playing for a few months I’m not really sure what’s best already. But I’m hoping it opens up more options for builds in Gunner. Or a better hybrid Braver haha.

But really, I just wish they’d make it easier to get Matter Board drops since I’ve been farming for the 1st node on MB3 for like 3 weeks now and nothing ;~;

I too would like to see it show up on a console; preferably the Playstation. I love PSO ‘cuz of the Gamecube version; I wanna play it on consoles. Was hoping for an announcement of a console version/update on the game period at E3, but well… we all know nothing came of that.

If I was more hopeful, I’d now be looking forward to something at TGS maybe? But I’m pretty much just over PSO2. Korean action-MMO’s are quickly filling that gap, and if Sega doesn’t want to play ball, Kingdom Under Fire 2, Tera, Black Desert Online, Vindictus, Dragon Nest and more all will. And at least KUF2 is coming to consoles via PS4.

DanielGearSolid

True, KUF2 actually makes me even more frustrated about PSO2.

It’s like, if it’s obvious, Sega WILL NOT do it

Ferrick

not hope? because KUF2 has been a shovelware longer than pso2 has been

DanielGearSolid

Only way KUF2 would give me hope is if Sega were the ones bringing it to Ps4

Renaldi Saputra

PSO2 is on PS Vita

Dylan

This and Yakuza are probably the two “deadest” titles in the west. At least Miku is doing well.

Kornelious

Y’know I wouldn’t feel as bad if they didn’t say they were going to release it, and then just completely give up on it with no explanation

If they never announced it I would’ve just said it was Sega doing what they do best…..which is nothing in the west :(

Oh how I yearn for the day when all these updates for PSO2 will actually apply to us westerners in North America and Europe. (╯︵╰,)

Well, until then Sega, I’ll support games like TERA and Vindictus since they bother to actually release here. You could have the money I will give them; s’all I’m saying guys.

Mind0105A

I can see that Sega “might” consider IP block in the future. A lot of Japanese players complain about foreign. Some still think that foreign are fun to be with, but others see them as annoyance. They are talking about IP block + avoiding ship2. You can read the rest in that 2 chan board site.